Afghan Forces End Hotel Siege

Afghan security forces on Sunday ended a 12 hour siege that by securing Kabul’s Intercontinental Hotel in the capital after gunmen stormed and took control the evening before killing at least five civilians.

Six individuals were injured and three of the attackers killed, according to Afghanistan’s interior ministry.

The assault began at 9 p.m. local time on Saturday, with an Afghan intelligence agency official telling AFP news agency that the gunmen were “shooting at guests”.

It has been reported that the state-owned hotel popular for weddings, conferences and political meetings was holding an information technology conference at the time of the attack.

Mr. Danish said that the attackers appeared to include suicide bombers.

Kabul has increased its security dramatically following a truck bomb explosion that killed at least 150 individuals and more recently, an explosion at the Shai Tabayan cultural centre that killed at least 41 and injured 80 on Dec. 28 of last year.

Attacks have been attributed to the resurgent Taliban militant group, with the hotel attack appearing to have also been carried out by the same insurgents, but there has been no confirmation in regards to the allegiance or identity of the gunmen.

Local security forces previous were trading fire with the gunmen on the third and fourth floors of the hotel, according to another ministry spokesperson.

The attackers set the hotel kitchen and the fourth floor on fire, a National Directorate of Security official told AFP.